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Last month, a group of Destructoid editors, myself included, looked back atMass Effect 2and discussed how we felt about the game a month after its release. We also managed to get through roughly 90% of the conversation without making any “this is my favorite store on the Citadel” jokes.
This month, we’re having a similar discussion aboutBioShock 2(minus the Citadel thing). Hamza Aziz, Chad Concelmo, Conrad Zimmerman and myself discussedBioShock 2‘s ups and downs with the benefit of a month’s worth of hindsight.
You can read our conversation after the jump.
Anthony Burch:
So, BioShock 2. Having had a month to mull it over, how do you feel about it? Did the multiplayer have any staying power? Did you prefer the sequel’s gameplay and, if so, did that make up for the comparatively lacking story?
Have you realized anything about the game that you hadn’t thought of before?
Chad Concelmo:
While I enjoyed my time withBioShock 2, looking back, I feel the game is the perfect example of a sequel that never needed to happen.
The firstBioShockwas such a wonderful experience, with one of the most talked-about and memorable videogame stories of all time. It also was set in arguably one of the greatest videogame environments ever. And, most importantly, it had a clear beginning, middle, and end.
BioShock 2just felt like more of the same.
Now, with something like Mario or Zelda, this is okay since the game’s overall mechanics and presentations welcome similar gameplay styles with new levels and environments. ButBioShockis not that kind of game.
Had the sequel been set in the same “BioShock” world, but in a brand new location with all new characters, I think it might have worked better. SettingBioShock 2in Rapture — despite its beauty and intrigue — was a bad idea and begged for lesser comparisons to the stellar original.
I have met people that likeBioShock 2a lot more than the first game. While I disagree with this, I can understand it since the two games are so similar. If you weren’t a fan of the first one, the minor tweaks to the gameplay and story could make you fan when going into the sequel.
For me,BioShock 2didn’t have enough surprises to make me feel completely satisfied.
Again, it’s a well-made, entertaining game, but it could have been so much more.
Hamza Aziz:
I pretty much agree with what Chad said here. It was nice to revisit Rapture, but it was missing that spark of life you got from the first game. BioShock is like Disneyland. You go in with eyes wide open the very first time. The second time though, you’re still excited but you’ve already seen it all and it just doesn’t have that same feeling.
The only real high points of the entire game I had was when you came across the experimental teleportation Plasmid and when you get to summon the Big Sister to aid you in fights.
Anthony:
Can you elaborate on this? If anything, I thoughtOcarina of TimeandTwilight Princesswere more identical thanBioShockandBioShock 2.
BioShock 2may have revolved around plasmids and guns, but the combat felt much more intense to me, forcing a much deeper level of experimentation and versatility. I got through the entirety ofBioShockwith a wrench and a lightning bolt. I couldn’t do the same inBioShock 2(though maybe that’s primarily because I never fully understood how to use the drill), and I really enjoyed that sensation.
That said, the return of the “here’s a bunch of Adam for saving the little sisters” thing is total bullshit from any perspective.
Chad:
Of course!
BioShock— and to a lesser degree,BioShock 2— revolves primarily around its story and environment. Sure, the gameplay is fun and addictive, but how many people talk about the great shooting mechanics ofBioShockas opposed to that killer twist near the end of the game?
Twilight PrincessandOcarina of Timeare very similar, but I think games can get away with that when they are not creating this very narrative-focused structure that feels so unique it almost can’t be duplicated. Does that make sense? Argh, maybe I am not explaining it well.
I guess withBioShock, I felt it was about telling a really great story in a really great setting with some pretty cool gameplay that I have seen before. With Zelda games, they are all about the amazing gameplay that is wholly unique to the series … with some passable, replaceable stories thrown in for good measure. I could play a million Zeldas with new, varied stories … but I only wanted (and needed!) oneBioShock.
I agree with you thatBioShock 2upped the ante in terms of combat and plasmid powers, but other than that, I felt like I was doing the exact same stuff as in the firstBioShock. And, you’re right, I can’t really perfectly explain why that repetition is okay with my Zeldas, Marios, and Metroids, but, for some reason, I wantedBioShock 2to take me somewhere new and exciting — just like the first game.
I guess to grasp for an analogy, I wantedBioShock 2to be to the originalBioShocklikeShadow of the Colossuswas toIco.
Conrad Zimmerman:
You’re all giving me the impression that I’m in a minority view when I say that, taken as a whole,BioShock 2is a better package thanBioShockwas.
Maybe you guys can help me express what I am trying to say better, but I feel like there are certain games — certainexperiences, if you will — that don’t (and should never) warrant direct sequels.Shadow of the Colossus,Psychonauts, and the originalBioShockare perfect examples of games that offer such wholly unique, mesmerizing, andcompleteexperiences that a sequel should never be considered in fear of watering down the original’s impact.
That is whatBioShock 2did for me. Looking back a month later, I am already forgetting aboutBioShock 2and wish my only memories of the glorious Rapture were contained to the first game.
Did anyone get to put in significant time with the multiplayer?
And I am with Hamza on the multiplayer — I have not played much of it at all. But that’s just me: I am not a big multiplayer guy, especially when it is added to a primarily single-player game.
And as much I loved using the Swarm plasmid on enemies (so amazing!), I think if the basic gameplay appealed to me more I would still be playingBioShock 2‘s multiplayer all these weeks later.
How about you, Anthony? Are you enjoying the multiplayer — that is, assuming you are still playing it?
Connection issues and balancing problems made the multiplayer effectively unplayable for me after a week, however. Everyone started using incinerate+grenade launcher, which is impossible to counter, and I became effectively incapable of finding lag-free games after a certain period of time. It’s a shame 2K spent so much time making a hypothetically great multiplayer mode without bothering to make it balanced or playable.
Despite my surprisingly negative afterthoughts, I am actually really looking forward to the inevitableBioShock 3. After seeingBioShock 2‘s ending, I have hope hopes for a brand new, completely revampedBioShockexperience.
And that gets me really excited.
I don’t know. After the dramatic escape and beautiful ending on the surface of the ocean, I just figured the series had said goodbye to Rapture forever.
Even if most of the gameplay mechanics stay the same (which is more than likely), I would love to play a newBioShockgame in a brand new location. Following a character entering the surface world after growing up knowing nothing but Rapture would be absolutely fascinating.
Maybe it’s just wishful thinking. 🙂
The story is definitely interesting, but it was a slightly skewed mirror image of the originalBioShock.
And getting back to what Hamza said about a “revamped” setting not working: I think it would work beautifully! Imagine seeing what the “normal” world was like outside of Rapture. We all have ideas about it, but who knows? The designers could have a creative field day with all the possibilities!
